This is my first time posting here but I just need to talk some people That have been through or are going through this.
About 3 months ago my 84 year old grandmother came to live with me while waiting for an assisted living facility. She has COPD with emphysema. She's had a horrible cough pretty much since she came to stay with us. She's been back and forth to the family doctor and the pulmonaligist almost weekly since coming here. I've seen her get slightly better for maybe 2-3 at most and then she gets worse again. The cough is worst at night time and I feel awful that she can't even sleep because of the cough. It just seems like she's doing everything she can and its not even making a difference. She does the nebulizer 3-4x a day, takes all her meds, and sleeps with oxygen. She even had a bronchoscope procedure done last month. I don't know much about this disease and in just trying to see if anyone has been through this and has some input. She seems to have taken a turn for the worse the past few days and I think she'll end up in the hospital soon. I just can't shake this feeling that she's not going to get better and only continue to deteriorate rapidly.
And you are a caregiver. You help care for grandma. Most of us here are taking care of elders thaf are still ambulatory. As they reach the end of their lives they become bedbound and the large majority needed help long before that. It is wonderful that you have a cousin and aunt to help. While you still have grandma do everything you can to make sure that help continues. The holidays get so busy that people often become distracted from what they should be doing.
Best wishes to you, you are a wonderful granddaughter!
Terry-thanks for the advice about the fluid - I will be asking the pulmanoligist about that myself. I'm just exhausted and my husband and I need our home and privacy back to normal.
She has another meeting with an assisted living facility next week to go over finances, and I'm just praying that this goes well and she can in soon.
She is actually on meds for the GERD already! I was thinking that too, but nope! I know her COPD is getting worse and I know this might sound awful but I just can't have her here when she's gets much worse or even worse when she passes away.
Here's a link about it.
healthline/health/gerd/coughing#Overview1
I agree with Windy, she may end up in the hospital. If she does and you are not able to provide for her care any longer tell the social worker at the hospital. You do not have to take her home. The social worker would find a skilled nursing facility for her to be discharged to. How did you end up with Grandma? How long do they expect it to take for a space to come open for grandma?